Pressing On

Even our "boss" Jorge was tired after the long days

Building a Cocina during training - very different from mine

Sam Buckley & I explaining water usage for World Water Day

Good news on the childrens’ playground front – I’ve gotten permission from the Muni to rehab a local playground with recycled materials. Sadly, this is not close to my house, so my kids won’t benefit. This little playground/park was well constructed, but stripped of all saleable materials – the downside of having a healthy recycle market in the area. My plan is to make swings from the existing frame from used tires and old fire-hose from my friends at the local Bomeros (firefighters). I’ll also do a ½ buried tire and a tire stack and maybe plant a tree or two. No one will strip used tires or fire hose, I hope.

Here at home, I’ve made some improvements for my kids. First, I simply picked up two discarded bike tires from the side of the road and cleaned them up. The younguns spend hours after school rolling them up and down the hall, which is MUCH quieter than the plastic wheels of the Hot Wheels. I also picked up a new paper airplane design during our recent training from Jonah, one of my WATSAN Brothers, whose inner-child is very much alive and well. They fly MUCH further and the kids love ‘em. Working on a way to do a swing in the back “yard” (a 20’ x 20’ open dirt area). Also, delighted that they have taken a liking to my lentil sprouts. They stop by often (maybe too often) for “semillas” (seeds), since they have trouble pronouncing the “spr” combination, which does not exist in Spanish (nor do the diphthongs “st”, “sk”, “sl”, “sm”, except when preceded by an “e”).

Getting back in the swing of work after the week-long training in Trujillo. Only three improved cook stoves left to build. Visiting schools to organize teams for the tree planting. Trying to find a suitable farmer for Biodigester #2. Meeting with Caritas to set a budget and organize a Water Committee in Vista Alegre. Trying to corner the slippery Environmental Health guy at the Health Post about water testing. And a gazillion other details and budgets in preparation for projects.

During training in Trujillo, we did a presentation to some schools kids for World Water Day. This year’s theme is “We are thirsty, because we are hungry”. At first this was a WTF title for me, until I learned that the VAST majority of the available fresh water used on the Planet, is now used by agriculture. As world population continues to sky-rocket, and ever more arid land is irrigated to feed them, water for human consumption will rapidly become scarce. I found this a hard concept to convey to 7^th graders. It almost moots the whole topic of water conservation, when it would take a 50% reduction in drinking water use to equal a 0.1% reduction in irrigation. Clearly, our resources might be better spent working to reduce agricultural use.

I’ve discovered that, while Margarita has little talent for house-keeping or parenting, she really enjoys (and is excellent at) creating party favors and decorations for kid’s birthday parties. She has gotten a lot of commissions lately and has taken over the kids play-room for her studio. Her designs are bright and clever – good to know she has this talent. I’m starting to worry about her husband Victor, though. He hasn’t come home the last two week-ends. Hmmm.

Fernando just started a major job, building a crypt in the cemetery across the street. He seems like the go-to guy for cemeterial  improvements. He has a crew of 3 workers, who started by digging a 20ft x 20ft hole about 15ft deep and cutting deeper holes for footers – by hand. This should keep him busy for about 6 weeks, he thinks.

Random Notes:

Must give credit to Coca-Cola for introducing a returnable glass bottle with a plastic screw cap. May cut down on plastic.

Cucumbers here are sold WITHOUT being waxed. I like this. Never knew why US produce is waxed. Just cosmetic?

Cabbage is sold by the slice, which makes it just right for slicing into my now famous Peruvian “Col Slaw”. That’s not a typo – “col” is Spanish for cabbage. I add cilantro to the classic cabbage/carrot/onion blend and add Peruvian mayo (which has a lemony tang) and the precious sweet pickle relish. Precious, because I can only get it when I go to a big city.

I witnessed an anti-abortion parade/demonstration in town. I understand that this is a 95% Catholic environment, but still somewhat disturbing to see little kids (6-8 yr olds?) chanting “Vida-Si, Aborto-No” and wearing signs with gnarly photos of aborted fetuses or posters of Jesus. They were led by a guy, dressed as a clown, on stilts. With this kind of indoctrination, the MANY young teenage women who find themselves pregnant have little choice.

Celebrations have already begun for Semana Santa (Easter Holy Week). As usual, they start the festivities at a LATE hour around here. There was a big procession about 10pm, with adorable little girls in lacey white dresses and gloves and lads in white with purple sashes. And then things got a bit more secular, with really LOUD music. If this is to be anything like the Anniversary Festival, I’ll be calling on my EAR plugs for solace. I always go and watch for a bit, but I’m just not into the whole drinking/dancing/late-night thing. I prefer waking up to a sunrise, feeling great the next morning. Unlike many other PCVs, I haven’t been sick a day since training. Aside from the rotator cuff (which is improving from the stretching), I feel terrific. “Fit for duty?” “Very much so, Sir”.

Fortunately, I’m headed back to Buenos Aires to visit my dear host family from training on Thursday.  Jaime, Deri, Mishel, Crisanto and the rest of the family were so very kind and supportive during training. We’ve stayed in touch and they call after every earthquake, to make sure I’m OK.